Royal Ascot day one: Quotes & tips

Queen Anne Stakes - 2.30

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Views from connections

Saeed bin Suroor - Benbatl

"Benbatl beat some very good horses in the Dubai Turf. We gave him a break after that, but he is back now and ready to go again. This will be another very tough race for him, as he is taking on some top milers. But he has been working well and I have been happy with his preparation. Dropping back to a mile will be fine, especially the stiff mile at Ascot, and we are looking for another good result."

Aidan O'Brien - Rhododendron

"We were very happy with what she did in the Lockinge," O'Brien said in a stable tour for At The Races.

"Given it was her first really competitive run over a mile since the 1000 Guineas last year, I was impressed how well she coped with what was a well-run race. Sometimes it can take a horse a while to fully adjust to running back over a mile after running over middle-distances, so it wouldn't be a big surprise if she could improve from Newbury."

David Simock - Lightning Spear

"We were delighted with him in the Lockinge, but frustrated at the same time. We are looking forward to running him in the Queen Anne. We have freshened him up, he has trained really well and I think he will go there in good shape. He has been a model of consistency and we are probably in the most open year he has ever been in regarding the top milers so we are hoping we get our day in the sun."

Ed Crisford (assistant) - Century Dream

"Ground is important to him. It was drying ground at Epsom and he seemed to act on that. His form is rock solid and he is improving. He has comes through his handicaps and we have just been building him up slowly. He has been getting more confident in his racing. He did have a tendency to be a bit keen in his races, but he has grown up a lot. I think at the back end of this year and next year you will see a him develop into a really nice horse."

Riley Mott (assistant) - Recoletos

"It's a very competitive Group One and we have to respect everyone in the field, but we're hoping we'll be right up there with the top contenders. You always have to respect the Coolmore bunch and they've got a mare that won a Group One against the boys last time (Rhododendron). I have optimism in the horse, with how he's travelled and the way he's doing, and that gives us confidence to have a stab at it."

Andrew Balding - Beat The Bank

"I think he has come on for that run in the Lockinge. I am pleased with his work at home and he looks very well. There is obviously a question mark about the straight course at Ascot suiting him, but we will find that out once and for all on Tuesday. He is in fine fettle. "

Man On The Spot Verdict

Rhododendron arrives fresh from victory in the Lockinge at Newbury. The Ballydoyle filly held off Lightning Spear with stablemate and last year’s third Deauville further behind and is fancied to confirm superiority today. Benbatl has taken a step forward as a four-year-old and was last seen in action winning the Group 1 Dubai Turf at Meydan in March. The Godolphin colt should prove competitive in this, as should the French raider RECOLETOS. Solow won this for France in 2015 having landed the Group 1 Prix d’Ispahan beforehand and Carlos Laffon-Parias’ colt attempts the same feat having returned a convincing winner at Longchamp last month. Yoshida represents North American Grade 1 Turf form and has a similar chance to Deauville on collateral form but Limato ran well below par in the Lockinge and still has plenty to prove over a mile.

Coventry Stakes - 3.05

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Views from connections

John Gosden - Calyx

"He is full of himself. He didn't have to travel far at Newmarket, he was just down the road and home. It (the Coventry) is usually a bit of a big ask for a horse that has only run once in his life. I won it with a horse that won it off two runs and to do it with one that has had only one run is not easy. He has got a lot of ability. He is drawn stands side and that can ride a bit slower, as it gets a bit more shade on. We are there and we will give it a go. He is a grand horse and deserves a chance."

Martyn Meade - Advertise

"The form from his debut could hardly have worked out any better. I gave him his last bit of work last Tuesday morning and he was very impressive. I'm looking forward to running him at Ascot."

Saeed bin Suroor - Dubai Legacy & Burj

"I was very pleased with Dubai Legacy's success at Doncaster, and the Coventry looks the right race for him. He won on a softer surface, but I think he will be fine on quicker ground. Burj won well last time out on the all-weather, having run well on quick ground on his first start, and he is ready to take the step up in class. It looks a very competitive race, but we have two contenders who deserve to take their chance."

Aidan O'Brien - Sergei Prokofiev

"He is a horse with an awful lot of natural ability, but he's been babyish so far and still has more to learn. He should continue to improve as he gains experience and is obviously a horse to be excited about."

Jessica Harrington's - Indigo Balance

"He's a lovely colt who won a good maiden at the Curragh, which has worked out well. He did it nicely there where he was in behind but came with a good run to win by a length and a half. This is a big step up and he's got to go out and do it again against more experienced horses, in a much better race, but we like him a lot."

Man On The Spot Verdict

The 2016 winner Caravaggio won at Naas beforehand and trainer Aidan O’Brien follows the same path with another Scat Daddy progeny in SERGEI PROKOFIEV. The latter won a Listed contest by four lengths last month and this extra distance should not be a problem. He’s preferred to stablemate and Newbury winner The Irish Rover but Calyx looks a big threat. John Gosden’s colt made an impressive start beating a previous winner by six lengths at Newmarket at the start of the month and could be anything. The progressive Cosmic Law won the Woodcote at Epsom in fine style last time though it was soft going on that occasion while Dubai Legacy and Burj represent Godolphin with Christophe Soumillon’s presence suggesting the former is preferred given the latter was earlier beaten by Advertise at Newbury.

King's Stand Stakes - 3.40

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Views from connections

Wesley Ward - Lady Aurelia

"She's bucking and kicking, which is just what you want to see as she'll need to be every bit as good as she ever was to get the job done again. She loves it here and she thrives here. She's doing great. This is horse racing. She's a bit older than Battaash, who is a gelding. It should be a great race and that's what racing is all about."

Charlie Hills - Battaash

"We're very pleased with him. He had to do it the hard way at Haydock and probably just got a little bit tired in the last 50 yards. He had a nice quiet week after that and seems to have freshened up nicely. We'll try to go down nice and quiet and go down last, like he did at Chantilly and Haydock."

Tim Glyshaw - Bucchero

"He is very cool and calm and nothing bothers him. When we shipped him out to the Breeders' Cup, it didn't bother him at all, nor did the 100,000 people that were there on Kentucky Oaks day. His stall speed away from the gate is a little bit slower than it was in his younger years and that has dictated his running style, as he used to go wire to wire whenever he ran. I think he's a really good long shot with a chance of hitting the boards at a big price."

Charlie Appleby - Blue Point

"Dropping back to five furlongs will be within Blue Point's compass, I think. He was disappointing in Hong Kong, where we tried to take them on at their own game and race up on the pace, which didn't work. He had a bit of a torrid journey home as well, so he had a nice break since then and the last two weeks I couldn't have been any happier with him. He really is pleasing us. Blue Point seems to love Ascot - he has won two races there and was third in the Commonwealth, so it is a course and a track that he is very comfortable at. Coming back to five furlongs will also suit him as they will go hard up front and he will come into the race at the right time."

Michael Dods - Mabs Cross

"She's improving with every race and we think a stiff five furlongs at Ascot should really suit her. She hit the line really hard at Haydock, and has done in all her races this season, so that uphill climb to the line will be ideal."

Man On The Spot Verdict

This looks between the market leaders Lady Aurelia and BATTAASH. The former won the Queen Mary here as a two-year-old and Wesley Ward’s filly was equally impressive when landing last year’s renewal of this. But she didn’t face a rival of the selection’s quality last season and Charlie Hills’ Prix de l’Abbaye winner is fancied to land this prize on the back of a successful reappearance in the Temple Stakes at Haydock. Washington Dc and Kachy filled the places at Haydock with Mabs Cross back in fourth but Ryan Moore partners Different League of the four Ballydoyle runners today. Blue Point looks a danger if back to the same form that saw him finish third to Caravaggio in last year’s Commonwealth Cup here but the French raider Finsbury Square was no match for Charlie Hills' star sprinter at Chantilly in October.

St James's Palace Stakes - 4.20

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Views from connections

Roger Teal - Tip Two Win

"We're very excited. All the work is done and now we're just waiting for the day to arrive. He's drawn in stall eight, which I don't think is a disaster. It would have been worse to be drawn in stall 10. The horse seems in very good form and if he can reproduce his performance at Newmarket, then he must have every chance."

John Gosden - Without Parole

"I suppose it's down to fashion. The big stables are more fashionable than small yards like ours, who don't often win Group Ones. The quick ground will suit him and if he stays the stiff mile, then hopefully he'll be right there at the end. The formline of Tip Two Win - he beat a Derby winner (Masar) in the Guineas - is the best three-year-old form in Europe. You've got an Irish Classic winner (Romanised) in there, so to that extent I don't understand why our horse is favourite. He is a progressive horse, but they set the standard and the bar pretty high. He went to Sandown on a minimum of work. I still think those horses that have performed at Group One level over a mile are ahead of him. This horse is still learning a lot about life as he only had one run as a two-year-old. He is more on the curve up and he hasn't achieved what others have yet."

Ken Condon - Romanised

"All the checks and balances are done and we're looking forward to the challenge. We've been very happy with him since the Curragh. We haven't had to do much with him, but he seems in very good form. It looks like we're going to get quick ground, which is good, and if he gets a bit of luck in running and a clean trip, hopefully he'll deliver another very good performance."

Aidan O'Brien - US Navy Flag, Gustav Klimt and Threeandfourpence

Speaking in an stable tour on www.attheraces.com: "U S Navy Flag seems fine after his run in the Irish 2,000 Guineas and we want to give him another shot at a mile against his own age group. We don't think he'll have a problem dropping in trip if we want him to and hopefully this run will tell us what direction to go with him. We're not 100 per cent sure if Gustav Klimt stays a mile, even after running him twice over it. We don't think he'll have any problem dropping back to seven or even six furlongs, but we'll give him one more chance over a mile against his own age group before we decide what to do with him in trip terms."

Man On The Spot Verdict

Form in their respective Guineas is represented by Tip Two Win, Romanised and WOOTTON (NAP). The former won’t start 50/1 today after finding only Saxon Warrior too good at Newmarket last month and should go well again but Romanised is preferred on his victory in the Irish 2000 Guineas at the Curragh. Kevin Condon’s colt beat the re-opposing Ballydoyle trio U S Navy Flag, Gustav Klimt and Threeandfourpence on fast ground and there’s no reason why he shouldn’t confirm running today. Wootton did himself no favours in the French 2000 Guineas when refusing to settle but still finished a creditable fourth to Olmedo. He’ll go very close if proving more amenable as the Godolphin colt had earlier beaten Olmedo at Longchamp in a Guineas trial. The unbeaten Without Parole takes a further step up in class after getting the better of Gabr in a Listed race at Sandown. It will be no surprise if the Gosden colt proves up to this level and he’s another to consider but stablemate Kings Shield looks to have a bit to find as does Chilean.

Ascot Stakes - 5.00

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Man On The Spot Verdict

Willie Mullins has won three of the last six renewals and has no less than five runners today. Ryan Moore partners the returning Chelkar, who won three of only five starts on the Flat in France in 2016, though Stratum is the ante-post favourite with last month’s reappearance under his belt. Whiskey Sour, Meri Devie and Lagostovegas make up the quintet and all are of a similar ability over hurdles and partnered by a leading jockey today. Look My Way just held on to beat Coeur de Lion in the consolation race for the Chester Cup last month but Dubawi Fifty was a well-beaten fourth in the Chester Cup itself. Sam Missile beat Cleonte over 2m here last time and White Desert won easily over 1m6f on the all-weather but a chance is taken on DANNYDAY. Sir Michael Stoute’s charge missed the whole of last year after winning the Northumberland Vase in 2016 and should be sharper for a recent comeback run at Goodwood.

Wolferton Stakes - 5.35

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Man On The Spot Verdict

LARRAIB attempted to make all on his reappearance in the Brigadier Gerard at Sandown and did well to finish second to Poet’s Word, rated 119. He’ll be sharper today and that form looks stronger than Morando’s third in the Gordon Richards at Sandown in April. Mirage Dancer beat Euginio to win a Listed race over 1m4f at Goodwood while last year’s third Kidmenever is preferred to the other Godolphin runner Leshlaa. Monarchs Glen will be more at home at this level after struggling in a Group 1 at Meydan and makes more appeal than stablemate Muntahaa and the same comments apply to Ballydoyle’s Yucatan, well beaten behind Cracksman at Epsom last time. Sharja Bridge should cope with the step up in class and could figure but Fabricate has a bit to find with the selection on latest running.

Related Royal Ascot links

• Full schedule and guide
• Royal Ascot podcast
• Royal Ascot: Super sires
• Richard Fahey: My Ascot team
• Royal Ascot banker bets
• Five clashes to savour